


TikToks and Trdelnik

by DemonDaddy6669



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Canon Divergence, F/M, Fake Dating, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Slow-ish burn, bed sharing, spy AU, tiktok au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:27:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25645033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DemonDaddy6669/pseuds/DemonDaddy6669
Summary: The reader and Bucky go on an undercover mission in Prague. Things get awkward and the reader fights her feelings for Bucky to focus on the mission. Because they're just friends... right?
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Reader, James "Bucky" Barnes/Reader
Comments: 3
Kudos: 60





	TikToks and Trdelnik

9:00am

“What are you watching?” Bucky asked, walking into the common room, sitting on the couch across from Steve and you. Curled into his side, chin resting on his shoulder, you watched the phone in Steve’s hand while the same song repeated on loop. 

“TikTok,” you responded, plucking your phone back. “I’m educating.”

“What’s TikTok?” Bucky asked. You sighed dramatically and sat up straight. 

“Steve do you want to test your knowledge?” you gestured for him to explain it to Bucky. Bucky gave a flat smile and batted his lashes at Steve, waiting. 

“Uh it’s an app,” he started. “Like YouTube but short form. More music based, but kinda the same thing.” Steve shrugged. 

“It’s a hotbed for breeding very specific cultures,” you said, walking to Bucky. You sat on the arm of the couch, nudging Bucky over with your bare knees. This close up he smelled neutral, like unscented soap. You showed Bucky your phone, scrolling through a few videos of lesbians rolling dough and garden flower identification. “This is cottage core. The videos are cozy, like baking bread and going on picnics. It’s like crack, honestly.”

Bucky nodded and hummed as you scrolled through more videos. Steve pushed himself off the couch and walked into the kitchen, calling, “Coffee?”

“Yes please,” you responded, “Lots of cream.”

“I know,” Steve laughed. 

“I like that song,” Bucky said, as another video ended. 

“Me too, it gets stuck in my head all the time.” 

Steve walked back with two mugs, handing yours to you. You hummed as you took your first gulp, “You make it perfect, Stevie.” 

Bucky snorted as you put the cup down, “Want some coffee with that cream?” 

“Watch it,” you said, smacking his shoulder. “I know what I like.” 

Bucky’s eyes flicked back to yours with the hint of a sly smile on his lips but before you could register what his expression meant, he cleared his throat and redirected his attention to Steve. “Nat said you wanted to see me?” 

Steve nodded and sat back on his side of the room. “I have a mission for you two.” 

Bucky and you had never been on a solo mission before. You’ve never really been on missions with anyone but Steve or Nat. You frowned. “Just us?”

Steve nodded. “There is a potential trade of alien tech blueprints going down in two days in Prague.”

Your eyes lit up and you sucked in a breath. 

Steve continued, “You two will pose as a couple. Y/N will need access and cover, and Bucky will provide it.”

“Why me?” Bucky asked. “Why isn’t Nat going?” 

“Nat is flying out with Tony to London tonight for another rendezvous.” Steve leaned forward as he spoke. “You speak Czech. There isn’t any reason why it shouldn’t be you.”

Bucky’s jaw clicked. “What about you?” 

Steve glared at him. He wasn’t used to Bucky arguing over missions. “Bucky is there a problem?”

Bucky glared back, grinding his jaw. The two stared each other down for a moment. You were trained to read people, but you couldn’t discern the silent argument they were having. Bucky swallowed and relented, “Of course not.”

Steve stood, “Good. You leave tonight.”

He walked out of the room, taking his coffee with him. The silence in Steve’s wake was tense, and you needed to break it before time hardened the tension and the mission suffered for it. With your index finger you lifted Bucky’s chin to look at you. His hard gaze was blue and cold, brow furrowed. You tapped his nose and he flinched, “That’s perfect. Just the sour face to blend in. No one there will smile all willy nilly like Americans.” 

And it was true. From the way you saw it, the two of you looked the part flawlessly. No one would look at Bucky’s imposing form and question his presence in any room in the Czech Republic. He’d be the perfect cover. 

Your attempt to ease the tension made his brow soften but he still shook you off and stood. He ran his hand through his hair and said without looking at you, “Guess I should pack.”  
He left without another word. 

***

You and Bucky landed in Prague the next day. The plane ride has been mostly silent; you both took the opportunity to sleep. At the airport, you ordered an Uber to your accommodations. You were practically vibrating in your seat as you stared out the window. 

“You okay?” Bucky asked lowly in the back seat beside you. 

“Jsem vzrušený,” you replied, a smile spreading. “I’m back, Bucky. This is my city. This is my home. Praha je moje láska.” 

“You lived here?” He asked. The question made you blink, truly you two didn’t know that much about each other’s pasts. 

You nodded and spoke softly, “I finished my training here. I had my first mission here.”

“How long has it been?” 

“Years. And for you?” 

Bucky shook his head, “I’m not sure.” 

You let the subject drop and turned back to the window. Maybe that was the source of the tension with Steve. Bucky couldn’t remember everything yet, but he knew Prague had something of his past. It must be unsettling to know a city and its language, but not remember what you’d done there. And to not remember if you’d killed anyone here. 

***

The hotel was beautiful. Large white stairs and a white grand piano dominated the lobby. Bucky took care of checking in and you stared out the windows. You could hardly believe you were here. 

“Doll?” Bucky called, pulling your attention. He led the way to your room and opened the door with the key card. The room was small but finely decorated, and the bathroom was sizable. One bed stared at you from the center of the room. 

You swallowed hard, setting your bag down. It would be fine. Bucky closed the door and stepped in beside you.

“Shall I order room service?” you offered. Bucky nodded and rolled his neck, beginning to sweep the room for security. 

You ordered room service and sent a message to Steve to confirm your arrival. You began setting up your surveillance equipment, focusing the signal on the bar across the street from the hotel. The two of you worked silently until the food arrived. 

You thanked the server and offered him a tip before taking the cart and setting up. Bucky dragged a chair to the opposite side as you used the bed for your own seat. You took a sip of your wine and tried to make conversation. Bucky and you usually had a gentle rhythm at the tower. You guys were friends. Working together shouldn’t be hard. 

“Do you remember-” You cut yourself off and started again, “Have you been undercover before?” 

Bucky drank from his beer – Pilsner of course – taking his time to answer. “I’m not a spy. All of my training focused on staying out of sight, not how to stay invisible in the middle of a crowded room. But I have been on a few missions with Nat, ones like this.” 

You nodded and studied him. Your stomach flipped slightly when he offered a small smile. His objective on this mission was to distract from you while you got the information. He was the eye candy. A small smirk spread over your face at the thought, yeah, he would do well as eye candy. And hopefully he wouldn’t distract you as well. 

“As long as we’re careful, this will be simple,” you concluded. You talked quietly over the rest of your meal, trying to get to know each other better. Bucky wasn’t cold, but he was reserved. More so, that usual. Slowly over the night he seemed to relax. 

***

“You ready for some recon?” you asked, stepping out of the bathroom, smoothing your dress down the back to make sure it covered your ass. When you didn’t hear a reply you looked up to see Bucky   
staring at you with his mouth slightly open. You laughed and wiggled an eyebrow, “Hmm guess you haven’t seen me at work huh? Yeah, I do wear more than just pajamas.” 

You had gone all out for this mission. Your dress was tight and short and black, covered in scaly sequins that threw light like sparkles. It would look great in dim bar lighting. Your eye makeup was heavy and dark, but you put on pink lipstick rather than a bolder red. You would be noticeable but not memorable in this. 

But at home in the tower you wore mostly pajamas and casual clothes. They were more conducive to getting paperwork done than stuffy “professional ensembles.” And Tony didn’t give a rat’s ass what you wore. 

Bucky closed his mouth and licked his lips, smiling in an embarrassed way, “Sorry. Yeah that’s perfect.”

You hummed and assessed his choice, eyes tracking down his body. He wore dark jeans and a plain t-shirt, but he pulled his hair back, making his jaw a more prominent feature. A leather jacket provided covered for his metal arm. “You’ll do.” 

He snorted and hummed back, straightening his back. You grabbed your bag and Bucky ushered you through the door. You held out your hand and began walking, expecting him to take it. You wiggled your fingers when he hesitated, earning a light chuckle before his fingers slipped into yours. 

His palm was expectedly rough in yours, but much warmer than you thought he would be. It made you smile. It had been a while since you held someone’s hand, and this was nice. You would bet money that it had been a while for Bucky too. You greeted the receptionist in the lobby and pulled Bucky out the door. 

Across the street, the bar was busy. You weaved your way through the back rooms of the bar, down the stairs and around the corner. There were tables and games in one room and beyond that, another bar. The air down here was warm and heavy, smelling like beer and smoke. 

“Pojďme pít,” you smiled. You swaggered over to the bar and ordered 2 beers while Bucky claimed a small table in the back of the room. You tipped the waitress heavily and nodded your thanks.   
You slammed the glasses on the table and scooted into the chair. You saluted Bucky and smirked over your glass. 

“Na zdravi,” he answered. 

***

About an hour later Bucky nodded over your shoulder. Your target has arrived. You slipped out of your chair and ordered a fourth round of beer. When you arrived back at your table you set the beers down but didn’t sit in your chair. Instead you climbed into Bucky’s lap to face the corner to his right – the one your target was now sitting in, surrounded by several brutish looking men. 

“What are you doing?” Bucky hissed, grabbing your hip with his metal arm so you didn’t fall off. 

You slipped an arm over his shoulder to secure yourself and scratched your fingers through the hair at the based of his neck to bring his ear closer. He tensed. You pretended that you were whispering something dirty, “I’m getting eyes on our boy.” 

Despite the thin material of your dress, the beers and the room full of body heat had you feeling warm. Your face was flushed, and your palms were sweaty. You realized that you’ve never been this close to Bucky before and heat radiated off of him like he was wearing a fur coat. 

You can tell that sitting in his lap left him flustered because his jaw ticked slightly. You smiled innocently and handed him is almost empty beer. As he leaned back to finish the glass you quickly assessed the men in the corner: 3 bodyguards and your target. 

When Bucky put his glass down your mouth was back at his ear, relaying all the information you could discern in your observation. The men seemed relaxed here. They weren’t expecting any interruption. They were confident – and cocky. 

Bucky’s flesh hand was still wrapped around his empty glass, his knuckles almost white. Despite the fact that you were in his lap, the only place he was actively touching you was were he had his hand on your hip, arm wrapped around your back to keep you in place. 

The girl at the table next to you glanced over and flicked her eyes at Bucky. You could tell she thought he was attractive by the way she licked her lips before returning her gaze to the girl next to her. Her eyes drifted back to Bucky’s hand on his empty glass. She smirked. 

“Bucky?” you asked, frowning slightly. 

He hummed but didn’t look down at you. You scratched roughly at the back of his neck, pulling his hair into your fist. He growled and his other hand closed over your thigh tightly, “The fuck?”

You shifted in his lap and gave a fake giggle before nuzzling into his neck and breathing aggressively, “You have to fucking touch me if you’re going to pass as a boyfriend, miláčku.”

He swallowed hard and glanced down at you. You blinked back, startled to see a new look in his eyes. He seemed almost sad. He was breathing harder than he had been. Maybe you had crossed a line, he clearly wasn’t used to being touched so intimately. Truthfully, you weren’t used to this either. Normally you worked solo. Maybe the beer had made you a little too bold. Maybe you wanted to touch him a little too badly, and you were using surveillance as an excuse. 

You shouldn’t be doing this. Fuck, refocus on the mission. 

Your eyes tracked as your target signaled the woman at the bar to bring the table another round. The bodyguards were beginning to get rowdier, laughing loudly and swearing. 

You picked up your beer and brought it to your lips. Before taking a long drink, you whispered an apology over the rim of the glass, “Bucky, I’m sorry for this. I should have asked you at dinner if you were uncomfortable with anything before the mission started.” 

As you set the drink down, Bucky’s mouth went to your ear. He seemed to have refocused and was slowly thawing. His warm breath fanning over your skin sent lighting through your stomach. “No, doll,” he swallowed hard again and licked his lips, “It’s okay, I don’t mind.”

You tried to suppress a shiver, but the chill ran through your body anyway. He seemed to have shaken off whatever sadness was in his eyes and an arrogance replaced it. Bucky smirked as he felt you shudder in his lap. You couldn’t tell if the look was genuine or if he was acting for the mission. 

You stared into his eyes and clenched your jaw. You were not going to compromise this mission. He slid his hand across your back and traced a light pattern at the based of your spine. He chuckled when you jumped at the sensation. You and Bucky were only acting like a couple, but you were turned on for real. 

You blinked and turned your head away, unwilling to lose focus on the night’s objective. Bucky may be uncomfortable being touched but you were only too willing. You glanced at Bucky’s watch and noted that the bar would close in 20 minutes. Stumbling in your heels, you slid from Bucky’s lap. His hands immediately caught you, pulling you back into his chest. You refused to let yourself sigh. You slipped your hand into his and led the way out, up the stairs and back onto the street. 

You walked to the corner of the building and stopped, pulling him so that you could keep an eye on the door, but his bulk shielded you from most people walking down the street. You leaned back against the wall, not talking for a few moments. 

Bucky waited for you to say something, hiding his emotions behind a knitted brow and a tight jaw. 

You glanced up at Bucky, watching his eyes. You weren’t used to him, and he wasn’t as easy to read as Steve was. He had years of practice keeping his real emotions off his face. 

“Buck, we’re friends, right?” you asked. “Outside of this?”

It felt wrong to talk about this on a mission, but you had a knot in the pit of your stomach. 

You were so quiet that Bucky has to lean down to hear you properly. The proximity sent your heart beating harder and you slowly took as deep breath trying to calm down. 

“Of course, Y/N.” Bucky said, his frown deepening. “We’re friends.” 

“Please let me know if I make you uncomfortable on a mission. I won’t do that again. It was uncalled for,” you said, keeping your eyes over his shoulder, watching the door. 

“I told you-” Bucky started.

You cut him off, “I know what you said. And I know what this mission is. You are my cover. You make me invisible. You were already doing your job, and I pushed the boundaries and it was unnecessary.”  
The hardness in your voice made your words sound final, “We need to act like a couple so that no one notices me tomorrow. I will be more professional. You were clearly uncomfortable when I sat in your lap. I am sorry for tonight.” 

Would you have done that with Nat or Steve? You weren’t sure. You couldn’t stop replaying the events in your mind. You were sure that no one would have noticed the awkward moment between the two of you, but you could feel it pulse through you. 

Bucky sighed and leaned closer, placing one hand on the wall behind you, caging you in. Over his shoulder the door opened, and your target and his men emerged. You grabbed Bucky’s jacket and pulled him closer, whispering, “3 o’clock. Put your hands on me and lean close.” 

Bucky wrapped his arms around your back and pushed you against the wall, pressing his body against yours. His warmth felt protective against the cool summer night breeze whipping through the streets.   
The men began walking down the street towards you, shoving each other and talking loudly. 

“Thank you,” Bucky breathed into your ear. “I appreciate it, Y/N.”

Your eyes fluttered closed for a moment as your heart stuttered in your chest. The beers were making your head foggy, but you knew he had to be as sober as always.   
The men walked just passed the two of you and climbed into a car down the street before driving away. None of them gave the two of you a glance. Perfect. 

***

While Bucky was in the bathroom back at the hotel you watched TikToks on your phone. Czech TikToks were different, the humor slightly off from American TikToks but it was still familiar to you. 

You had already taken a hot shower, trying to sober up and wash away the grime of the bar and your sweat and makeup. You felt immensely more relaxed, back in your pajamas and in the comfort of the hotel. 

“What’s so funny?” Bucky asked with a smile as he stepped out of the bathroom. He walked over to the air conditioning unit and turned the nob up. 

“TikTok,” you replied. “What are you doing? It’s already cold in here.”

“I’m hot,” he said. You snorted and rolled your eyes. He smiled, more like the Bucky you knew. Yeah, low level flirting you could handle. Nothing too serious. Tonight had been weird for the two of you and you weren’t sure what to do about it. You were clearly attracted to him. You were about to share a bed with him. But you had to keep it professional. 

***

When Bucky sat against the headboard you straightened up beside him, angling your phone so you could both see the screen. He wore only plaid bottoms, but he radiated heat. Your eyes flicked between the screen and his face to make sure he was enjoying the videos like you were. 

After a while you took a deep breath. Your head felt clearer, but your body was tired. You slipped the phone onto your nightstand and plugged it into your charger. You checked with Bucky and turned out the lights, sliding down into the bed. 

Despite it being July, the room was freezing. You wrestled the sheet up from where the covers were folded at the bottom of the bed and tucked it under your chin as you curled to your side.   
You could hear a soft breath come from Bucky. 

“Cold?” he asked. 

“Fucking freezing,” you groused. You scooted closer to Bucky, intent on stealing his body heat for self-preservation. You pressed your forehead into his flesh arm and grumbled. Bucky jumped when your cold toes brushed his calf and you snickered. 

You let your mind float for a bit, dwelling on our memories of the city. Suddenly a memory of you and a friend slipped into your mind and you bolted up excitedly. Having already drifted into sleep, Bucky jerked awake, his head whipping to the side. 

You put a hand on his chest to reassure him and cleaned close to his ear. “Bucky? Zlatíčku? Drahoušku? 

“Yes, Y/N?” he grumbled, running his hand over his face. 

“Can we maybe, possibly get trdelník for breakfast? Broučeku? Prosim?”

He sighed and took a moment to process your request. You couldn’t see his eye hidden behind his hand, but you could see the small smile on his face. “Sure but…”

“Yeah yeah, tourist trap, yeah yeah. But chocolate.”

Bucky dropped his hand and turned his face so that your noses were inches apart. You realized how close you were, hovering over Bucky. His eyes searched your face. His blue eyes were so intense you couldn’t maintain the eye contact. 

“Děkuju,” you said, dropping the intense gaze. Your heart was hammering in your chest. You turned your back towards him and settled your hand under your face, feeling your warm blush. 

“Y/N?” Bucky called softly. Your mouth felt dry, almost afraid to answer him. 

“Ano?” 

“Do you remember learning Czech?” he asked. His voice sounded softer, more meditative than you were used to hearing. It was like he was asking how he learned Czech himself. 

“Yes. There was a woman named Ivana. My class was small, but she was wonderful. Very kind, all things considered,” you said. 

“Considered?” he asked. 

“Well considering we were being trained in espionage and lies,” you said. “She would never lie though. Not about a language. It’s too important to know what to say to not know the truth of things.” Bucky hummed at your response. 

“That sounds… nice,” he said, failing to come up with the proper words in English. 

“Do you remember?” You asked, already assuming the answer. 

“Not exactly. I remember Russian. Ukrainian. I don’t remember learning Romanian or Czech. They just seem to come to me. Maybe some Italian?”

You couldn’t fathom what it would have been like to not remember learning an entire language. You remembered your espionage training, your Avengers training, your language training. You remembered every country you’d ever been in. You remembered every pet you ever had. 

You wanted to understand Bucky better. You wanted to know this man in the bed beside you. 

You inched back so that your back touched his arm. 

“Do you remember trdelník?” you asked, softly. 

You could hear the smile back in his voice. “I don’t think I ever had time to try them. But I’ve seen them, smelled them.” 

“Trdelník for breakfast, Buck. It’ll knock your socks off.” You closed your eyes and took a deep breath. “Promise.”

***

You woke to the sound of running water. You turned onto your back, stretching across the mattress, feeling the coolness of the sheets beside you. You squinted as the air conditioning kicked back on and you rubbed the sleep from your face. 

“Miláčku?” you called when you heard the water stop and the bathroom door open. 

Bucky huffed a sort of laugh, “Yes, broučeku?”

“What time is it?” you asked, rolling over to look at him. Bucky had a long-sleeved Henley and jeans. You frowned. He was going to die in the heat of summer in that, but he had to cover the arm somehow. 

“Eight.” 

“Perfect, we can go to the bridge before it gets crowded.” You stood and walked past him to pull a more casual white dress out of your bag. 

“You know we’re not here to sight-see, right?” he called as you shut the bathroom door. 

“Yeah, okay, Steve,” you teased. “Who knew James Buchanan Barnes was such a stick in the mud?” 

You stepped back out, dressed, running a brush through your hair. Bucky was frowning. You cocked a hip and lifted an eyebrow. 

“We don’t have to set up until nine tonight," you said. "Nothing is going to happen before then. We scoped the place. We know the routine. Come on Bucky, do you want to stay inside all day?” 

Bucky stretched his neck like he was contemplating the idea. You wrinkled your nose, provoking a laugh. 

“You want to play tourist?” he asked. 

“I want to play tour guide.” You threw your brush back into the bathroom. “Let me introduce you to my city, Buck.” 

“Okay, sure,” he said, shrugging. 

***

“You look like you’re going to cry, Y/N,” Bucky said. 

“I am!” you exclaimed. “You don’t like it.”

He raised a hand in defense. “It’s not that I don’t like it, it’s just-”

“Don’t you lie to me!” you poked him with your free hand. “I can see it on your face.”

You held your trdelník aloft in your other hand. The chocolate and ice cream began to drip down the side and you licked it in between your exclamations of disbelief. 

“I’m just…” Bucky thought for a moment, studying the pastry in his hand. “Disappointed?”

The two of you walked away from the stand towards the Charles Bridge, passing through the archway that led to the bridge from a tourist street on the west bank. 

“Are you not a sweets person?” you asked. 

“No I liked sweets, generally speaking,” he said. You made a choking noise. He wasn’t making this make sense. “I don’t know; it’s just not my thing I guess.”

“Sorry, give me a minute, I’m going through the five stages of grief,” you said, holding up a finger before tearing off a piece of your pastry. 

He snorted and muttered something under his breath about dramatic women. You pulled your phone from your pocket and clicked into the camera. You held it out and aimed it at Bucky and yourself. He stared for a moment before his face broke into the most exaggerated picture of enthusiasm you’d ever seen. He held a thumbs up and the pastry next to his face, framing the wide grin, until you took the picture. 

You burst out laughing, managing to only snap once before blur distorted the image. 

The two of you walked along the bridge, finishing the trdelník. You passed a man sitting on his knees, face turned towards the ground, hands folded. The reddish dog by his side looked at you and panted. You fished out some change and dropped it into his cup. He muttered thanks and nodded his head. 

You shoved your crumpled napkin into your bag as you swallowed your last bite and stopped two thirds of the way across. 

“One more?” you asked, holding your phone out. 

“Sure,” Bucky shrugged. 

“You take it, you have longer arms.” You handed him the phone and positioned him with Prague Castel in the background. 

He held his pastry in his metal hand and the phone out in his other. You slipped one arm around his back and put on hand on the arm holding his trdelník. You rested your head on his shoulder and smiled into the camera. 

He glanced down at you quickly before turning to look into the camera. Under your fingers, you felt his shoulders relax. Suddenly your hand slipped to his elbow and you shoved, smashing his pastry into his nose. 

He sputtered and took a step back, dropping the phone. In a flash you caught your phone; thank God for spy reflexes. You cackled as he tried to wipe his face, his eyes growing huge. 

“What was that for?” He sounded so stunned and betrayed. 

“Aw, I’m sorry,” you said still laughing but taking pity. You fished out your crumpled napkin and offered it to him. He took it, a frown burrowing into his face “But you weren’t going to finish it anyway.”

“So you had to do that?” he scoffed. You held out your phone as took a picture of his pouty face, covered in chocolate and cinnamon sugar. He saw you and whined, “Jesus, Y/N, stoooop.” 

“Poor baby,” you soothed. You put the phone back in your bag, and you wrapped your hands around his waist, pulling him close. Careful not to touch any of the mess on his face, you rested your cheek on   
his chest. “Did some big baddy hurt your feelings?”

“Yes,” he muttered. 

“Want me to kiss it, make it better?” you offered, a smile flirting over your face. He snorted, wiping the last of the evidence from his face. He wrapped one arm around your back, trapping your body against his. For a second you thought he might say yes. 

He lowered his mouth to your ear, causing the hairs on the back of your neck to raise. You could hear this smirk. “Yeah, punk, you’d better be sorry. Imma get you back good. Just you wait, doll.”   
You squeaked and blushed, trying to pull back in case he retaliated with the smashed remains of his pastry. But his grip was too strong, and he held you close. “Don’t worry it’ll be when you least expect it.” 

And with that, he released you. You cleared your throat and tucked your hair behind your ears, trying to regain some composure. The promise of competition sent a rush of heat through your stomach. 

“We’ll see,” you said. He nodded, giving you a small smile as the two of you finished your way across the bridge. Bucky tossed his garbage into a nearby trash can and the two of you began your walk to Prague Castle, winding back over another bridge and through the streets. 

***

“I think you might be a little sunburned,” you told Bucky as you unlocked the door to your room. 

“Yeah, I can feel it,” he sighed. 

“Take a cold shower. I’ll order room service again,” you offered. 

When dinner came, you resumed the seats you had arranged the night before. You were quiet at dinner, mulling over the plan for tonight in your head. You needed to be able to cause a distraction. 

Outside the bar was best, after closing, when the men were going to their car. They would get in and drive off before noticing you had lifted the plans from the target. Anything inside the bar would be messy and noticeable. But if you missed your window, they would be gone before you had a chance. 

“What are you thinking?” Bucky asked, taking a drink. 

You frowned into your plate before nodding to yourself. “I think you should hit me.”

“Excuse me?” Bucky set his glass down hard. “I’m not hitting you.”

“I’m serious Bucky. I think it’ll work,” you said, glancing up at him. His face was hard, almost angry at the suggestion. 

“I’ll break you,” Bucky argued. 

“Jesus Christ. I’m not made of glass.” You set down your fork. “If you hit me, the men will be looking at you. They won’t even see me. If I hit you, no dice. If I kiss you, no dice. You need to be a spectacle. I need to be invisible.” 

Bucky let out an angry breath, “I don’t want to hit you, Y/N.”

“Well I certainly hope-”

“Stop,” Bucky said. His gazed burned into your stomach. You’d never seen him so angry. You wondered what it would take to get him angry enough to hit you for real. “What happened to me telling you if   
I’m uncomfortable with anything on this mission?”

Your cheeks flushed and you stared down. 

“Yeah, what happened to that?” Bucky insisted. “There’s no fucking way I’m hitting you.” 

Your heart pounded in your chest. Your stomach turned and you pushed yourself further onto the bed, back pressed against the headboard. It dawned on you that it was stupid to be upset with a man for not wanting to hit you. 

But you considered all of your options. The street was your best window. A quick pass would secure the information and leave them none the wiser. You had to make contact but not be the one at attention. 

Tears pricked your eyes. You imagined how it could go: you would stumble past your target, pretending to be too drunk. You’d brush into him, slipping a hand into his pocket to retrieve whatever USB the information was on. He’d catch you. Guns would be drawn; you’d be too close. Someone would get hurt. And as much as you needed the information, you really didn’t want to kill anyone, or to risk Bucky’s life and your own. 

You pressed your fists into your forehead, trying to wipe the image from your head and think of a better idea. Silence rung in the air. 

“Hey,” Bucky said, and you felt the bed dip as he crawled up next to you. He took a deep breath, causing his shoulder to brush yours. “I didn’t mean to be so mad. I’m sorry. You are the expert on this mission. Can we try another plan?” 

You dropped your hands, trying to swallow the dryness in your throat. You glanced at him and nodded. 

You held out your pinky and said, “I’m nervous about this. There are so many ways this can go wrong. But I have your back.”

He hooked his pinky around yours, “I have your back, Y/N.” 

You clenched your jaw and pushed off from the bed, heading to the bathroom to get ready. 

***

You arrived at the bar slightly later than you had the night before, and you sat at a different table. A new bar tender manned the bar downstairs. Perfect. Bucky brought your drinks to the table. You waited only 30 minutes for your target to arrive and again, the men sat in the same corner as the night before. 

20 minutes later Bucky nodded over your shoulder. You smiled at him and reached across the table to grab his hand. You leaned in close and played with his fingers, allowing him to describe what was happening behind you. 

“There’s a woman.” You wanted to look but you waited as Bucky described the scene. A woman in her early 30s slunk into the booth with the target and his guards. She must be the one with information. 

Your stomach twisted. You got another round of beers so that you could take a peek at the group. You saw her slide a stick drive across the table, and the man pocketed it. You cursed under your breath. 

You slid the glasses back onto the table, and confirmed to Bucky, “Information is transferred.” 

The two of you casually finished your beers and left the bar. You strolled in the opposite direction as the night before, but stopped closer to the door, watching for your target.   
Bucky took a joint out of his pocket and offered it to you. 

“Smooth” you muttered. 

“What? Not a good time?” he asked, quirking a brow. You gave him a sarcastic smile and brought it to your lips. He lit it for you, using the Prague lighter you had gifted to him earlier in the day. You both took light puffs for a few moments, breathing the night air in deeply to keep a semi-clear head.   
When your target stepped out of the building you cursed under your breath. His arm was wrapped around the woman, dragging her down the steps towards the street. Fuck. How were you going to get the USB?

The panic was clear in your eyes when you glanced at Bucky. Your window of opportunity was rapidly closing. You had to separate the two of them. How, how, how? 

You needed to distract them but fuck, how?

“Bucky, please.” You begged. Your heart was racing. “Please.” 

“Lhal jsi mi,” Bucky blurted, loudly. He pushed you against the wall. He wasn’t shouting, but his words got the attention of the group. Yes. 

You stared at him, fear filling your eyes. You knew the group was looking. You pleaded in Czech, “Prosim.”

You were asking him to hit you, not to not hit you, like they probably expected. 

“Kurva,” Bucky hissed, pulling back his hand. He swung with his flesh hand, across your face, pushing you towards the door. The woman let go of your target, hissing in Czech under her breath. You could see her fiery red hair matched her dress. 

“Uhodil mě!” you cried, clutching your face. Your cheek stung. You spit at him, “Debilu.”

You stumbled back, running away from Bucky and into the crowd. One of the men stepped forward, not to block you, but towards Bucky. 

“Co máš za problem?” The target shouted. 

You cried out and run, brushing barely past the target. Your hand slipped into his pocket and you snatched the USB. You cried harder, reeling back and gasping, “Prosim, odpusť mi.”

Bucky shouted back at the men to mind their own business. The men told Bucky to get lost. The woman called after you, but you were already gone. You ran until you put 3 blocks between you and the bar. You paused gasping, pressing yourself against the brick wall of the closest building. 

You walked on quickly, twisting and doubling back in case anyone noticed you. You took an hour walking to make sure no one was following you before returning to the hotel. 

You slid the key car into the door and slipped in. Instantly Bucky pushed you back into the door, hand cupping your face to inspect the damage. 

“I’m okay Bucky.” You soothed, closing your eyes and resting your head against the wood. You could finally relax in the hotel room. 

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered, resting his head on the door next to yours. His breath fanned over your shoulders, sending chills down your spine. You realized he was already changed into his traveling clothes, and your bags sat packed on the bed. 

“I got it,” you said, showing him the flash drive. “Thank you, Bucky.”

“Please,” he said, swallowing hard. “Please don’t thank me for that.”

You nodded and pushed him back lightly so you could slip into the bathroom. You pulled your hair into a braid and attempted to cover the bruising on your cheek with foundation. If it wasn’t daylight, no one would know the difference. 

You pulled a sweatshirt over your head, “Come on, Buck. Let’s go home.” 

You held out your hand and pulled him through the door. You left the country as soon as possible. Your flight landed early the next morning. The two of you felt like zombies when you walked into the Tower. 

***

“I’m going to drop it off in the lab,” you said, stepping into the elevator beside Bucky. 

It seemed that everyone else in the Tower was asleep. Bucky rubbed at his face and sighed. 

“Thanks for having my back, Bucky.”

He offered you a tired smile and his pinky finger, “Thanks for having mine. I trust you.” 

You hooked your finger with his. You hummed and nudged his shoulder with yours, “I don’t know if that’s the smartest choice there, Bucko. I do pull nasty tricks with pastries.” 

One side of his smile tugged higher, remembering the incident on the bridge. “That’s fair. But I don’t know, your annoying ass is kinda endearing sometimes.” 

“I’m glad you love my ass; yes, it’s fantastic,” you said smirking. Bucky snorted and rolled his eyes. “Does this mean you won’t be seeking revenge?”

“Oh now, I don’t know about that, doll,” he said, shrugging. “You’ll just have to wait and see, I guess.” 

You faked a pout when the elevator stopped on the floor for the lab. “Goodnight, Bucky. Get some sleep.”

“Goodnight, doll,” Bucky said, giving you a wink as the doors slid shut. 

You smiled to yourself and blushed, turning to walk to the lab to secure the USB. 

***

You took the opportunity to sleep in the next morning, trying to correct your exhaustion and jet lag. 

The USB had held an abundance of helpful information, and teams were being dispatched all over eastern Europe to follow up on leads. 

Around 12 you walked into the kitchen, still dressed in a tank top and pajama shorts. 

“Hey doll, want any coffee?” Bucky called from his seat at the island. You nodded and poured yourself a bowl of cereal, adding slices of fruit to the top before digging in. Bucky slid over a large mug, pale brown from the wealth of cream. 

You hummed with satisfaction, grinning like a cat over the rim of the mug. “Miláčeku, děkuju.”

“Prosim,” Bucky grinned back, sliding into the chair next to you. You pulled out your phone and the two of you spent the morning watching TikToks. 

***

3 weeks later.

You and Bucky sat on the couch in his suite, watching Netflix on your laptop. Bucky’s arm stretched over the back of the couch, while your legs rested across his lap. 

Bucky muttered something under his breath. 

You sat up, pulling your legs under you. “What? You don’t like political comedy?” you asked. 

Bucky pursed his lips, “It’s not that I don’t like it. It’s just the world is so fucked up.”

You nodded, “Yeah, some of it. We can watch something else, if you’re not vibing.”

Bucky shrugged. You leaned in close, wiggling your eyebrows, “You ya wanna… you know? Watch TikToks?”

He laughed at your expression and shoved you lightly. You held his gaze for a moment, his eyes shining blue, his soft smiling tugging at your heart. Fuck, he was beautiful. You smiled, thinking how lucky you were that you got to know him. 

He has to feel it too right? Whatever connection was between you two. 

“What?” he asked. 

You shook your head, “Nothing.”

You grabbed your phone from the coffee table and leaned back. 

“Hold on, I’m going to take a bathroom break real quick.” Bucky rose and stretched. 

“Okay,” you started scrolling through your feed. 

A moment later you felt Bucky settle back onto the couch, his leg pressed against yours. You leaned in and held out your phone so you could both see the screen. 

“Y/N?” Bucky said softly.

Before you could reply, his hand came up to brush your jaw. He pulled you closer to him body and your eyes widened as he pressed a soft kiss to your lips. Your eyes fluttered shut and you dropped your phone, your hands sliding into his hair to keep him from pulling back. 

Your heart was hammering in your chest and you could feel the heat in your face. You scratched at the base of his neck and he groaned quietly. 

“I like you,” he said. You huffed a laugh. “And I saw that on a TikTok.” 

“What?” you asked, pulling back slightly, licking your lips. 

“Kissing your best friend, telling her you like her.” He smiles. “Thought I’d give it a try.” 

“It worked,” you whispered. “I like you too.” 

Bucky snaked his arms around you and pulled you into his lap. You cuddled close to his chest, wrapping your arms around his neck, running your fingers through his hair.   
He kissed slowly at your jaw, nosing at your ear before whispering, “Don’t for one second think this means I’m giving up on my trdelník revenge.”

His warm breath sent shivers all over your body. You whimpered and squirmed. He tightened his hands at your waist, and you pressed closer. You could feel him growing hard under you. 

You nuzzled into his neck, pushing his head back. You bit at his ear lobe and pulled, causing him to buck up slightly and groan. “But Bucky, baby,” you whimpered, laying it on extra thick, “What if I… made it up to you?”

His head fell to the back of the couch and his fingers dug into your flesh. He swallowed hard and stared at the ceiling. You could see the moment of conflict in his face before you ground your ass against his lap. 

“Jesus fucking Christ,” he huffed, standing up and carrying you into the bedroom.


End file.
